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{{Short description|Archbishop of Canterbury's London residence}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Lambeth Palace | native_name = | native_language = | image = [[File:Lambeth Palace London 240404.jpg|300px|]] | caption = Lambeth Palace, photographed looking east across the [[River Thames]]. Visible are the 15th-century Lollards' Tower at left, the 17th-century Great Hall (with [[cupola]]) at centre, the late 15th-century brick gatehouse towards the right, and the 14th-century tower of St Mary-at-Lambeth on the far right. | type = [[Palace#United Kingdom|Archbishop's palace]] | locmapin = London | coordinates = {{coord|51|29|44|N|0|7|11|W|region:GB|display=inline,title |format=dms}} | gbgridref = | location = [[Lambeth]], [[London]] | area = | built = | architect = | architecture = [[Tudor architecture|Tudor]] | governing_body = | owner = [[See of Canterbury]] | designation1 = Grade I | designation1_offname = Lambeth Palace | designation1_date = 19 October 1951 | designation1_number = {{Listed building England|1116399}} | designation2 = National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens | designation2_offname = Lambeth Palace | designation2_date = 1 October 1987 | designation2_number = {{Listed building England|1000818}} | designation3 = | designation3_offname = | designation3_date = | designation3_number = | designation4 = | designation4_offname = | designation4_date = | designation4_number = | designation5 = | designation5_offname = | designation5_date = | designation5_number = | website = }} '''Lambeth Palace''' is the official [[London]] residence of the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. It is situated in north [[Lambeth]], London, on the south bank of the [[River Thames]], {{convert|400|yd|m|abbr=off}}<ref>{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4966784,-0.1210745,17z|access-date=20 March 2015}}</ref> south-east of the [[Palace of Westminster]], which houses [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]], on the opposite bank. Close to [[Westminster]] and the [[City of London|City]], the estate was first acquired by the archdiocese for the archbishop (who also has a residence at [[Old Palace, Canterbury]]) around 1200. ==History== [[File:Lambeth Palace - geograph.org.uk - 343862.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The Great Hall, St Mary-at-Lambeth, and the Tudor gatehouse (from inside), with the river on the right.]] While the original residence of the archbishop of Canterbury was in his [[episcopal see]], [[Canterbury|Canterbury, Kent]],<ref name="world and its people">{{cite book |last=Dunton |first=Larkin |title=The World and its People |url=https://archive.org/details/worldanditspeop05duntgoog |publisher=Silver, Burdett |year=1896 |page=[https://archive.org/details/worldanditspeop05duntgoog/page/n45 37]}}</ref> a site originally called the Manor of Lambeth or Lambeth House was acquired by the [[diocese]] around [[Anno Domini|AD]] 1200 (though Archbishop [[Anselm of Canterbury|Anselm]] had a house there a century earlier)<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Emery |first=Anthony |title=Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales, 1300-1500 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2006 |volume=III |location=Cambridge |pages=235-237}}</ref> and has since served as the archbishop's London residence. The site was chosen for its convenient proximity to the royal palace and government seat of Westminster, just across the Thames.<ref name=":0" /> The site is bounded by [[Lambeth Palace Road]] to the west and [[Lambeth Road]] to the south, but it is excluded from the [[parish]] of [[Lambeth North (UK Parliament constituency)|North Lambeth]] which encompasses all other surrounding land. The garden park is [[listed building|listed]] and resembles [[Archbishop's Park]], a neighbouring public park; however, it was a larger area with a notable [[orchard]] until the early 19th century. The former church in front of its entrance has been converted to the [[Garden Museum]]. The south bank of the Thames along this reach, not part of historic London, developed slowly because the land was low and sodden: it was called [[Lambeth Marsh]], as far downriver as the present [[Blackfriars Road]]. The origins of the name of Lambeth come from its first record in 1062 as ''Lambehitha'', meaning 'landing place for lambs' ('hitha' or 'hithe' referring to a landing on the river): archbishops came and went by water, as did [[John Wycliffe]], who was tried here for [[heresy]] in 1378. In the [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381, the palace was attacked. [[Reginald Pole|Cardinal Pole]] lay in state in the palace for 40 days after he died there in 1558. The palace was again [[Attack on Lambeth Palace, 1640|attacked in May 1640]] during a period of popular discontent with the [[Arminianism|Arminianist]] theology of the [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop]], [[William Laud]], in the hope of capturing him.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Walter |first1=J. |date=2024 |title='This Infamous, Scandalous, Headless Insurrection': The Attack on William Laud and Lambeth Palace, May 1640, Revisited |journal=The English Historical Review |pages=6β7 |doi=10.1093/ehr/ceae156|doi-access=free }}</ref> The palace was ransacked and partially demolished by the Parliamentarians in the [[English Civil War]] of the 1640s, necessitating major reconstruction, especially of the great hall, in 1660-63. New construction was added to the building in 1829β1834 by [[Edward Blore]] (1787β1879), who rebuilt much of [[Buckingham Palace]] later, in neo-Gothic style and it fronts a spacious quadrangle.<ref name=":0" /> Blore's large extensions to house the archbishop meant that the original buildings could be converted to the archdiocese's library, record office and secretariat.<ref name=":0" /> The palace was damaged in the [[The Blitz|Blitz]] of 1941. The buildings form the home of the archbishop, who is regarded as the [[first among equals]] in the [[Anglican Communion]], and is ''[[ex officio]]'' a member of the [[House of Lords]]. == Buildings == The building is [[listed building|listed]] in the highest category, [[Grade I]], for its architecture. The palace consists of two main structures: the residence itself, which is built round a [[cloister]], and Morton's Tower, which forms the main entry. The medieval building had three more courtyards, which have since disappeared, as has the moat that surrounded the complex.<ref name=":0" /> The unusual inclusion of a cloister may be because Archbishop [[Hubert Walter]] initially intended to found a [[Premonstratensians|Premonstratensian]] abbey on the site, before settling on a palace.<ref name=":0" /> The original timber cloister, which held the archbishop's library, was replaced by the present structure in 1830.<ref name=":0" /> The oldest remaining part of the palace is the 13th-century chapel which was built in the [[English Gothic architecture#Early English Gothic (late 12thβlate 13th centuries)|Early English Gothic]] architectural style. It stands above a vaulted undercroft, which has a central line of columns. This part had to be heavily restored after the Blitz, so most of its fittings are of 1954β55.<ref name=":0" /> The medieval [[great hall]], now gone, appears to have been rebuilt following damage in the Peasants' Revolt. The south end of the hall joined the kitchen and offices, while a stair at the north end led to the archbishop's apartments. One 14th-century room of these apartments, now known as the Guard Chamber, still stands, with its original elaborate roof.<ref name=":0" /> Further private accommodation was added when the Water or [[Lollardy|Lollards]]' Tower, built of Kentish [[Ragstone]] with [[ashlar]] quoins, was built at the north-west corner in 1434β35.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{NHLE|num=1116399|desc=Lambeth Palace|grade=I|access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref> It was extended and heightened later in the century, and again in the early 16th century when [[William Laud|Laud]]'s Tower was built next to it.<ref name=":0" /> At the top of the stair was the Archbishop's prison, a room also seen at [[Winchester Palace]] in Southwark. The massive five-storey brick [[gatehouse]] was built by [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]] [[John Morton (archbishop)|John Morton]] and completed in 1495 and housed eight lodgings for the Archbishop's household.<ref name=":0" /> Improvements continued into the 16th century, when Archbishop [[Thomas Cranmer|Cranmer]] built a brick tower north-east of the chapel to house his study.<ref name=":0" /> The most serious damage done by the Cromwellians in the late 1640s was the demolition of the great hall and the sale of its materials. After the [[English Restoration|Restoration]], it was completely rebuilt by Archbishop [[William Juxon]] in 1663 (dated) with a late Gothic [[hammerbeam roof]]. The choice of a hammerbeam roof was evocative, as it reflected the High-Church Anglican continuity with the Old Faith (the King's ([[Charles II of England|Charles II]]) [[James II of England|brother]] was an avowed Catholic) and served as a visual statement that the [[English Interregnum|Interregnum]] was over. As with some Gothic details on University buildings of the same date, it is debated among architectural historians whether this is [[Gothic Revival architecture#Survival and revival|"Gothic survival"]] or an early work of the "Gothic Revival". The diarist [[Samuel Pepys]] recognised it as "a new old-fashioned hall". Major work was done by Blore in 1829β1833, with large parts of the medieval palace being rebuilt, and an extensive new wing in Gothic revival style added. Among the portraits of the archbishops in the palace are works by [[Hans Holbein the Younger|Hans Holbein]], [[Anthony van Dyck]], [[William Hogarth]] and Sir [[Joshua Reynolds]].{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} <gallery mode=packed heights="165px" > File:Westminster Bridge and Lambeth Bridge 1897.jpg|Map of the [[River Thames|Thames]] between [[Westminster Bridge|Westminster]] and [[Lambeth Bridge]]s, with Westminster Palace on the west bank and Lambeth Palace on the east, 1897 File:Microcosm of London Plate 048 - Lambeth Palace edited.jpg|The Guard Room File:'Lambeth Palace', c1685 MoL.jpg|Lambeth Palace from the south {{Circa|1685}} File:Lambeth Palace main entrance.jpg|Main entrance File:Lambeth Palace London - geograph.org.uk - 1092465.jpg|The 19th-century range </gallery> == Gardens == [[File:Lambeth Palace Great Hall fig tree.jpg|thumb|The great hall with Cardinal Pole's fig tree in front]] The [[ficus|fig]] tree in the palace courtyard is possibly grown from a slip taken from one of the ''White Marseille'' fig trees here for centuries (reputedly planted by Cardinal Pole). In 1786,<ref>[[Andrew Ducarel|Andrew Coltee Ducarel]], ''History and Antiquities of the Palace of Lambeth'', 1786 (as ''Biblioteca Topographica Britannica'', vol. II pt 5, 1790)</ref> there were three ancient figs, two "nailed against the wall" and still noted in 1826 as "two uncommonly fine... traditionally reported to have been planted by Cardinal Pole, and fixed against that part of the palace believed to have been founded by him. They are of the white Marseilles sort, and still bear delicious fruit. ...On the south side of the building, in a small private garden, is another tree of the same kind and age."<ref>{{cite book |first=Thomas |last=Allen |title=The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Lambeth, and the Archiepiscopal Palace, in the County of Surrey |location=London |year=1826 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044081209298&seq=7 |page=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044081209298&seq=243 229] }}, paraphrasing Ducarel.</ref> By 1882, their place had been taken by several massive offshoots.<ref>"It were a grave omission to pass over unnoticed the 'Lambeth fig-trees.' Two of extraordinary size, supposed to have been planted by Cardinal Pole, formerly stood near the east end of the old garden front: they have long ago died, but three or four thriving offshoots, now grown into venerable trees, may still be seen basking on the sunny side of the Great Hall" (John Cave-Browne, ''Lambeth palace and its associations'', 1882:310); "It was Cardinal Pole who is said to have planted the two fig-trees in Lambeth garden, which were still to be seen in 1806, while slips taken from the original plants are now flourishing trees." (Robert Sangster Rait and Caroline C. Morewood, ''English episcopal palaces (province of Canterbury)'', 1910:74)</ref> The notable orchard of the medieval period has somewhat given way to a mirroring public park adjoining and built-up roads of housing and offices. The palace gardens were [[Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England|listed grade II]] in October 1987.<ref name="NHLE1000818">{{NHLE|num=1000818|desc=Lambeth Palace|grade=II|access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref> ==Library== [[File:Lambeth Palace Library 2025.jpg|thumb|left|Lambeth Palace Library]] Within the palace precincts is '''Lambeth Palace Library''', the official library of the archbishop of Canterbury, and the principal repository of records of the [[Church of England]]. It describes itself as "the largest religious collection outside of the [[Vatican Library|Vatican]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about-lambeth-palace |title=Lambeth Palace |website=The Archbishop of Canterbury |access-date=9 October 2020 }}</ref> The library was founded as a public library by Archbishop [[Richard Bancroft]] in 1610.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Carley |first=James P. |year=2013 |title=The Libraries of Archbishops Whitgift and Bancroft |journal=[[The Book Collector]] |volume=62 |issue=2 |pages=208β228 }}</ref> It was historically located within the main palace complex, but in 2021 a new purpose-built library and repository building opened. This is located at the far end of the palace gardens, with its entrance on Lambeth Palace Road, and was designed by [[Wright & Wright Architects|Wright & Wright]]. In addition to the existing library collections, it houses the archival collections of various Church of England institutions formerly held at the '''Church of England Record Centre''' (opened 1989) in [[Bermondsey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Library |publisher=Lambeth Palace Library |url=https://www.lambethpalacelibrary.info/about-lambeth-palace-library/history-of-the-library/ |access-date=28 January 2024 }}</ref> The library contains an extensive collection of material relating to ecclesiastical history, including the archives of the archbishops dating back to the 12th century, and those of other church bodies and of various [[Anglican]] missionary and charitable societies. Manuscripts include items dating back to the 9th century. The library also holds over 120,000 printed books. In 1996, when [[Sion College]] Library closed, Lambeth Palace Library acquired its important holdings of manuscripts, pamphlets, and pre-1850 printed books. Topics covered by the collections range from the history of art and architecture to colonial and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] history, and numerous aspects of English [[social history|social]], political and economic history. The library is also an important resource for [[English local history|local history]] and [[genealogy]]. For online catalogues, see [[#External links|External links]] below. ===Highlights of the collection=== [[File:12th-century painters - The Tree of Jesse - WGA15728.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Illumination of the [[Tree of Jesse]] from the 12th-century [[Lambeth Bible]]]] Notable items in the collections include: * [[Mac Durnan Gospels]] (late 9th/early 10th centuries) * [[Minuscule 473]] (11th century) * [[Minuscule 559]] (11th century) * Lambeth Apocalypse (12th century) * The Romanesque [[Lambeth Bible]] (12th century) * [[Lambeth Homilies]] ({{circa|1200}}) * Book of Hours of [[King Richard III of England|King Richard III]] (mid 15th century) * ''[[A Short English Chronicle]]'' (mid 15th century) * A rare copy of the [[Gutenberg Bible]] (1450s) * [[Lambeth Choirbook]] (16th century) * [[Book of Howth]] (late 16th century) * Archives of the [[Commission for Building Fifty New Churches]] (1711β1759) * Archives of the [[Incorporated Church Building Society]] (1818β1982) ==St Mary-at-Lambeth== {{main|Garden Museum}} [[File:Garden Museum (4632736506).jpg|thumb|upright|Tower of St Mary-at-Lambeth, now home to the [[Garden Museum]]]] Immediately outside the gatehouse stands the former parish church of St Mary-at-Lambeth which was preserved by a campaign led by John and [[Rosemary Nicholson]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Garden Museum |url=https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/the-museum/history/museum/ |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=Garden Museum}}</ref> The tower dates from 1377 (repaired in 1834); while the body of the church was rebuilt in 1851 to the designs of [[Philip Hardwick]].<ref name=NHLE1000818/> Older monuments were preserved, including the tombs of some of the gardeners and plantsmen [[John Tradescant the elder]] and [[John Tradescant the younger|his son of the same name]], and of Admiral [[William Bligh]]. St Mary's was deconsecrated in 1972, when the parish was absorbed into the surrounding parish of North Lambeth which has three active churches, the nearest being [[St Anselm's Church, Kennington]] Cross.<ref>[https://www.achurchnearyou.com/search/?lat=51.49&lon=-0.12 Map of North Lambeth parish] A Church Near You church finder β [[Church of England]]</ref><ref>[http://www.achurchnearyou.com/lambeth-mission-st-mary/ Lambeth Mission St Mary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331133552/http://www.achurchnearyou.com/lambeth-mission-st-mary/ |date=31 March 2016 }} A Church Near You church finder β [[Church of England]]</ref> The Museum of Garden History (now the [[Garden Museum]]) opened in the building in 1977, taking advantage of its Tradescant associations. During renovation works in 2016, a previously unknown crypt was discovered, containing 30 coffins.<ref name="crypt">{{cite news|last1=Brinkhurst-Cuff|first1=Charlie|title=Remains of five archbishops found near Lambeth Palace|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/apr/16/remains-of-five-archbishops-discovered-near-lambeth-palace-canterbury|access-date=16 April 2017|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=16 April 2017}}</ref> Amongst these were those of five archbishops of Canterburyβ[[Richard Bancroft]], [[Thomas Tenison]], [[Matthew Hutton (archbishop of Canterbury)|Matthew Hutton]], [[Frederick Cornwallis]], and [[John Moore (archbishop of Canterbury)|John Moore]]βas well as that of [[John Bettesworth]], [[Dean of the Arches]]. ==Resident community== {{main|Community of Saint Anselm}} Lambeth Palace is home to the [[Community of Saint Anselm]], an [[Anglican religious order]] that is under the patronage of the archbishop of Canterbury.<ref name="Lodge2015">{{cite web |url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/archbishop.welby.launches.monastic.community.at.lambeth.palace/65148.htm |title=Archbishop Welby launches monastic community at Lambeth Palace |last=Lodge |first=Carey |date=18 September 2015 |publisher=[[Christian Today]]|access-date=5 April 2016}}</ref> ==See also== {{Portal|Christianity|England}} * [[Old Palace, Canterbury]], within the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral, is the residence of the archbishop when in Canterbury * [[List of palaces]] * [[Palace of Whitehall]] ==References== [[File:A View of the Archbishop's Palace, Lambeth.jpg|thumb|''[[Lambeth Palace (painting)|Lambeth Palace]]'' by [[J.M.W. Turner]], 1790]] {{Reflist}} ==Bibliography== *{{cite book |editor1-first=Richard |editor1-last=Palmer |editor2-first=Michelle P. |editor2-last=Brown |editor2-link=Michelle P. Brown |title=Lambeth Palace Library: Treasures from the Collections of the Archbishops of Canterbury |location=London |publisher=Scala |year=2010 |isbn=9781857596274 }} *{{cite book|last=Stourton|first=James|title=Great Houses of London|location=London|publisher=Frances Lincoln|year=2012|isbn=978-0-7112-3366-9}} *{{cite book |first=Tim |last=Tatton-Brown |title=Lambeth Palace: a history of the Archbishops of Canterbury and their houses |location=London |publisher=[[SPCK]] |year=2000 |isbn=0-281-05347-2 }} ==External links== {{commons category}} *{{Official website|https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about-lambeth-palace}} *[https://www.lambethpalacelibrary.info/ Lambeth Palace Library official website] *[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47051 Detailed architectural description] β from the ''[[Survey of London]]'' online *[https://bookscat.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/ Library catalogue of printed books] *[https://archives.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/calmview/ Library catalogue of manuscripts and archives] {{Archbishop of Canterbury}} {{LB Lambeth}} {{London landmarks}} {{Libraries in London}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Episcopacy in Anglicanism]] [[Category:Episcopal palaces of archbishops of Canterbury]] [[Category:Episcopal palaces in London]] [[Category:Grade I listed houses in London]] [[Category:Houses in the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:Museums in the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:Libraries in the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:Archives in the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:History of the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:Buildings and structures on the River Thames]] [[Category:Museums on the River Thames]] [[Category:Edward Blore buildings]] [[Category:Historic house museums in London]] [[Category:Grade I listed buildings in the London Borough of Lambeth]] [[Category:Townhouses in the United Kingdom]]
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